Where have I been?

Everywhere and Nowhere.

My focus has been on everything except this blog. That is just how it has to be sometimes. I have a post or two patiently perched in the pending bay, so stay tuned. I just have to work on some of my awesome Windows Paint diagrams!

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A few days after my "operational error", the subject of my last post (the whole thing is printed up and tacked up to the wall in my area at work, by the way, and I am asked "are you in a groove?" on a daily basis, still), one of the controllers in my area had a medical issue (not at work) which caused him to spend a few days in the hospital. When he was released, he stopped by work to find out the status of his medical certificate. He looked fantastic and well rested. It made me think about the working conditions we subject ourselves to. It made me think about spending the next 20 or more years of my life working in an environment in which having a heart attack and spending a few days in the hospital is an improvement.

So that is where I have been: Pondering the meaning of life and where ATC fits into mine. I have determined that I will never find another job that I truly love 95 percent of the time, even if it kills me slowly. The schedule is crazy, and yet, I would never want a daily morning commute. It is occasionally stressful, yes, and constantly rewarding. For someone who strives to learn something new everyday, I'd say I've got enough to learn about the NAS to last me a lifetime.

Yup, I'm still here. And I'm in a groove.

Till next time...


DM

PS. The medically disqualified controller is helping with training in the simulators. I hope to take advantage of that by spending some time working fake traffic with strips just like the good old days that I barely knew as an A-side the first few weeks after I arrived at Boston Center. No, really. I'm a nerd.